The movies Hollywood produced are often telling psychological conflicts as the central story. Each character has a certain fixed attitude and the interacting of the characters create the story. It does not matter if the setting is in antic times or in the far future. In the end there are always the bad and the good guy slamming it out in a fistfight.

The historic Chinese drama which I currently favor are based on sociological storytelling. As they develop the stories form their characters. Their attitudes change over time because the developing exterior circumstances push them into certain directions. Good becomes bad and again good. The persons change because they must, not because the are genetically defined. I find these kind of movies more interesting.

This Scientific American piece about Game of Thrones (of which I have seen only half an episode) touches on the differences.

What is legal in either Sweden or Britain is irrelevant. Both will happily hand Assange over to the CIA regardless of what their own laws require them to do. What is of concern is the reactions of the populations of the countries in question. Swedes won't do anything to defend Assange. Heck, the Swedes won't even defend themselves. The British working class, on the other hand, has been a mite bit restive lately. They might get irritated and become unpredictable if they get the impression that someone whose welfare they are basically responsible for is to be bundled off under their noses to Bloody Gina's dungeons. This is why the forces of evil want Assange in Sweden.

Kierkegaard died in 1848. He wrote his books in Danish which guaranteed that they didn't achieve any attention outside Denmark. He was forgotten for 40 years or so until his work was translated into German. Then its reception in Germany exploded. Kafka, Rilke, Wittgenstein, Heidegger and Jaspers belong to his admirers and followers.

For me, coming from the math/physics department, he anticipated the findings of quantum theory: that the subject ist hopelessly entangled with the object; and therefore it's impossible to construct a system of thought (like Hegel did) and declare it reality without taking into account your own individual personality. This is not reality, says Kierkegaard, it's just a system.

Well, no. My view is that they united in certain core beliefs. Chief among these are that USA remain the sole hegemon and that they retain control of the Presidency (which controls the Empire as well as "the bully pulpit" that could be used to cut through the propaganda).

Kissinger's call for MAGA was not guaranted to be accepted but I beleive that it was because it made sense to the Deep State.

The Deep State are just powerful people that have been around for a long time and everyone in the establishment respects: Bushes, Clintons, Mueller, Brennan, McCain would be in that group.

"During the discussion of the situation around the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action on the Iranian nuclear program, the importance of preserving this agreement, which is a key factor in maintaining international stability and security, was noted. Russia, France and Germany reaffirmed their commitment to further mutually beneficial cooperation with Iran in trade and economy.

The world's major nations have all denounced Trump's act of reneging on his nation's commitment to the JCPOA yet he ignores them and continues on his merry way. The Iranians have mede it abundantly clear that until Trump amends his ways he won't ever get "the phone call" he avers he greatly desires. Regime Change and punching a huge hole into BRI/EAEU integration are the clear motives, but no nation aside from Israel is allied with Trump, and Zionistan seems only halfhearted after its election thanks to Chinese pressure related to its BRI potential.

IMO, Trump's checkmated himself as he loses face with any move he makes--even war.

Gruff @202: ... reactions of the populations of the countries in question.

Yes, but this is only half of the story. The legal framework and mechanics of how extradition and 'temporary surrender' work in UK and Sweden is the other part.

Those that accept or make the case for Assange's extradition to Sweden are ignore ALL the reasons that make it unacceptable, including the bogus accusations that sparked the investigation and Assange's numerous attempts to cooperate with investigators. And they pretend that the choice is either extradition to US or extradition to Sweden when, in fact, there is reason to deny BOTH extraditions.

But why, Assange's critics charge, would he be more likely to be extradited to the US from Sweden than from Britain, Washington's patsy, notorious for its one-sided extradition arrangements. [Answer:] There are specific risks in Sweden – for example, its fast-track "temporary surrender" extradition agreement it has with the US. But the real point is that Assange is in danger of extradition in both countries – which is why Ecuador was right to offer him protection.

The solution is obvious. It's the one that Ecuador is proposing – and that London and Stockholm are resisting. If the Swedish government pledged to block the extradition of Assange to the US for any WikiLeaks-related offence (which it has the power to do) – and Britain agreed not to sanction extradition to a third country once Swedish proceedings are over – then justice could be served. But with loyalty to the US on the line, Assange shouldn't expect to leave the embassy any time soon.

Social Justice Warriors and White Nationalists are both creations of, what you would call, the deep state (DS). They are used by the DS, pose no threat to the DS and it would serve no purpose to show them neutralised. Plus no predictive programming aspect.

The parallels between Daenerys and Trump seem fairly obvious to me:

1. Daenerys is the world's most powerful Queen. Trump is the world's most powerful President.

2. Both promised to lead the poor and oppressed and deal with their oppressors.

3. Both have powerful weapons at their command (Dragons/Nuclear Weapons).

4. Both are crazy.

The predictive programming bit is that Kings Landing was subject to an attack by Dragons even though the city had surrendered. The aftermath of the attack shows that Kings Landing was subject to something that looks very much like the aftermath of a nuclear attack (see Japan and descriptions of effect on mini-nukes).

The person responsible for the attack (Daenerys) is killed by the DS (Tyrion & Jon Snow).

Afterwards life goes on as normal.

So you are being prepared for US using nuclear weapons in a war that they start to right a wrong (e.g. with Iran) and, should things go badly (and even if they don't), then the responsibility for the use of such weapons will be heaped onto Trump who will be polished off PDQ and everyone can agree it was the act of a madman.

The purpose of predictive programming is to play out scenarios, prepare the population for an event, or condition the mindset of the population. The last series of GoT was so bad because it was forced to fit a predictive programming message.

(BTW: None of the above has any bearing on your theory; Trump can be in league with the DS and a dupe at the same time.)

Interesting! I haven't watched GoT whatsoever. But in the real situation with Trump, there is no wrong to right regarding Iran other than the malfeasance of the Outlaw US Empire's action regarding JCPOA. It was merely a "bad deal" made by Obama according to Trump, with the world judging Trump to be wrong.

I am curious what Pompous ass said to the Congress Critters today about Iran

I just read a Reuters posting/no link about a poll they did saying that 51% of the American public believes that a war with Iran in going to happen in the next few years.......how to build a lie with a poll

In the guts of the posting it did admit that 39% are strongly opposed versus 31% strongly for this war..and 49% opposed

The cost of propaganda for war could buy health care for millions but the God of Mammon must have its profit and social control instead!!!!!

Hey, pal, I specifically said adapting Thucydides was a dream. ;) A dream born during reading it and coinciding with watching the success and technique of HBO's Game of Thrones. But it is a dream.

I share your enthusiasm for the love of that work. It truly does have it all. Pericles' Funeral Oration is probably the greatest eulogy for the unknown soldier and it is no wonder that parallels are consisentently drawn between Pericles' Funeral Oration and Lincoln's Gettysburg Address.

But can you imagine the depth and breadth of knowledge one would have to have at their disposal to a write a competent teleplay based in Ancient Greece and surrounding areas. Knowledge of customs, religions, as much Herodotus as you can ingest, etc. It would be a long haul. Lotsa research.

I do have one! Relative through marriage who is relatives with a well-known actor who has worked on HBO films, netflix shows, and even one of the greatest directors of all time.

I have some experience and knowledge of screenwriting, software to do it on, and know borders, margins of a script, etc.

In any case, I share your enthusiasm. A man can dream can't he? Thucydides deserves to be brought to a larger audience. How does one share email addresses online? I would be happy to have you in mind if I ever do broach the subject in earnest.

Thank you for the recommendation to read the books. I may be wrong but I think this is the first indication in this thread that they might be better ;)

Turns out there are some ebook downloads on the web freely available, and the paperback set of five books can be had from an online seller for less than $30.

I may never get to read these books - only because I'm disinclined to put a fictional cosmology into my mind at this stage of my life - but I will take your comparison with Tolkien as a sound measure of their worth, sight unseen.

And who knows, a snowbound winter may yet find me by the fire yearning for ancient, entertaining lore.

I haven't found this quoted from the Craig Murray discussions here - but I haven't followed it closely, so my apologies if I'm repeating others. I found Murray's view on the "why?" of all the hate very compelling.

His concluding paragraph:

There is an interesting parallel with the reaction to the work of Reformation scholars in translating the Bible into vernacular languages and giving the populace direct access to its contents, without the mediating filters of the priestly class. Such developments will always provoke extraordinary venom from those whose position is threatened. I see a historical parallel between Julian Assange and William Tyndale in this respect. It is something worth bearing in mind in trying to understand the depth of the State’s hatred of Julian.

It makes great sense to consider the patrician view that regards us little people: heaven forbid that some rebel should print up translated Latin, or give us the straight dope on how the world is stolen from, and in the very words of the thieves themselves, no less.

And I say "stolen from" rather than "controlled" because I don't think the thieves are there yet, and frankly never will get there. Theft will always be theft, and from time to time in the world a slice of daylight will appear, and thieves will go to the gallows.

Alas, it will often be too late to save the noble messengers, bless them.

Below is the (slightly improved) text of a an email that I sent to my MP (elected representative) regarding the latest Douma incident revelations (which I adapted from a post written by Peter Hitchens). As there appears to be very little in the western media about this and that the whole fake chemical attack routine is being re-heated for Idlib then commentators may like to adapt the text below to send to their own elected representative.

"Dear (MP),

As you are no doubt aware, a leaked document, written by one of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) most experienced investigators, shows that it is very likely that gas canisters found at the scene of an alleged poison gas attack in Douma (Syria) were placed (and not dropped from helicopters). The OPCW has now confirmed that this report is true. This means that the decision of UK, France and the USA made in April 2018 to bomb Syria was based on a falsehood.

The OPCW’s official report on the Douma incident made no mention of this finding. This makes it appear that the OPCW was placed under pressure, or hijacked, by (western) political forces which were seeking justification for military intervention in Syria.

The impression is left that the Douma incident was probably staged and that the UK (along with France, US and rebel interests) were involved, in some way, in setting up this fake incident.

It would seem to me that all MPs should be shocked and concerned about what appears to be the truth about the Douma incident, but it does not seen to any concern at all to among the British people's elected representatives. I cannot understand why this should be so?

I would draw your attention to the lies that surrounded the Iraq War (2002) and the lies that appear to surround the Douma incident (2018) and that both were about engineering a military confrontation and involving the UK (and other western nations and allies) in war and war crimes.

I would ask for you to call for an enquiry to investigate:

* The involvement of UK, other western nations and allies with rebel forces in organising a fake incident in Douma.

* Whether undue pressure was put in the OPCW by the UK, other western nations and allies such that the OPCW independence and objectivity has been compromised.

* Whether a covert operation involving the UK, other western nations and allies was in place to engineer a confrontation with Russia."

If you ever have the inclination to read them, they are available for download free on TPB:}
My recomendation would be the audio books, that way you can get the gist while pottering about the house or traveling in the car or whatever. My Mrs got absolutely sick of the constant drone of narrators, though, and my boy started asking me adult questions, so earphones are recommended:}

...
So it's not surprising that we now see this chemical weapons claim. SAA can't be allowed to continue.
Interesting and scary to see what comes next.
Posted by: Jackrabbit | May 21, 2019 9:03:47 PM | 213

Putin rings Trump...
"Before the US attacks the SAA for bs reasons, don't forget that the whole of Syria is within cruise missile range of the Russian Federation. If Assad asks the RF to neutralise all illegal US bases in Syria, in response to an illegal US attack, we will do so forthwith."

Which was said to get its fame by introducing new storytelling device.

It was "sociological storytelling" and "coming of age", but the novelty was in showing it all by the eyes of the person evolving.
So it looked like the world outside of the narrator was changing, reflecting the character growing up, which itself was left implicit.

Can someone recommend a good and safe non-browser program for downloading videos without watching them online? I used to use Ummy

Posted by: BM | May 21, 2019 8:43:31 AM | 163

Ummy is an offshoot of SaveFrom.Net service, my parents are using it, while personally I use only online part (and browser extension) of SFN. SFN refuses to downloads some formats other than through Ummy, but I never needed to have something like FullHD downloads for long YT videos - there are over avenues for that like torrents.

You may also try freemake's Video Downloader and Video Converter. They used to be simple to use (maybe too simple) and, except for attempting to install all kind of advertisement-driven apps together with themselves rather harmless. But recently they seem to turn more and more into pay-for-more-options kind of programs.

Of FLOSS software, FreeDownloadManager 3.x AFAIR could do it, but it is long defunct, version 5.x became "modern looking" - that is heavy, slow and short of features. Then there is jDownloader.org, a German client for services like RapidShare, byt wit hYoutube support too.

Now, notice, when you select hi-quality formats of audio and video from YT - they came as two separate files. You would have to either mux them into one file later, or to use players capable to play extra-file audio to a video.

The Tories seem hell-bent on committing political suicide with their policies which only help to promote Corbyn and Labour… karlof1 @ 181

Once Cameron entered the ‘referendum’ territory and then the subsequent smarmy bogus promise of ‘it is but an advisory vote but we will respect / implement the outcome’ the Tories were in a bind, a perilous position. May was boosted front-stage with her chunky neckgear as no one else aspired to that scaffold. The can (Brexit is brexit) was kicked down the road and is so as I write.

The two trad. parties have both lost support, much of it forever, Labour perhaps a bit less than the Tories. The EU Parliament elections are a peculiar one-off and don’t represent Westminster voting intents, but still…the one major issue - Brexit vs Remain / xyz variants / dominate the pol landscape.

What could - should Corbyn have done differently? Tough question. He could have gathered the Remainers to his heart (knocking away the Lib Dems, and the minor ChangeUK), which might have been a ‘pol strategy’ to ‘win’. Which would have ignored and dismissed Labour voters who were determined Leavers, most of them genuinely (say..) from a ‘leftish’ perspective.

Clearly, public sentiment's trending against the efforts of BigLie Media, perhaps due to efforts by Sanders, Gabbard and Fox's Tucker Carlson. The basic fact that tax monies aren't going to supporting taxpayers while being wantonly squandered on the military isn't going unnoticed as the whole debate about Medicare For All and Green New Deal revolves around how to pay for them when so much is wasted on totally unneeded war.

And just like that... it's over. The Pentagon declares victory in the Persian Gulf. John Bolton's (in)credible intelligence that Iran was readying an attack (of which no evidence ever existed) caused the US to do somethingorother so now Iran isn't going to attack any more. Victory! We're likely to see much more of this sort of nonsense as the Pentagon retreats into a land of makebelieve where high-ranking officers rock themselves to sleep while visions of sugar-plums and trillion-dollar defense contracts dance in their heads as the entire world learns to ignore them and moves on

Too bad the entire policy goal of Full Spectrum Dominance won't be waved away in similar fashion. Meanwhile in another new poll "released Monday show that 43 percent of U.S. adults polled from April 17-30 think socialism is a 'good thing.'" However, "The April poll also found that the number of Americans that believe socialism is a bad thing for the country increased, from 40 percent in 1942 to 51 percent today."

What I see as more important from the poll is the negative affect free market propaganda's having on perspectives and its promotion of doublethink. It also shows just how many US citizens are illiterate when it comes to the US Constitution which advocates socialism in its rationale for governing in its Preamble.

"Russia has given Turkey 24 hours to withdraw its points from idlib and that it is not responsible for any damage to them after this time. Russia alert civilians in the northern Hama countryside and southern idlib countryside to evacuate the region because it is a military area that will be exposed to very huge air operations."

Such warnings have been given before in other regions, so It's not unique. Given the level of combat being waged and the fact that Turkish equipment's being very openly used by terrorists, it's clear operations will greatly intensify. As was said by an SAA official, "There's no other way" to rout the terrorists.

"This morning the Russian command asked Turkey to evacuate the Turkish checkpoints in Idlib during the next few hours. The Turkish defense ministry has already responded that there will be no withdrawal."

"Looks like #SAA started the burning party in north Hama & south Idlib…"

If the Turks were told to abandon their O/Ps or risk their destruction as is being widely reported, their answer is inane, although it might be a ruse meant for the terrorists they support. We'll know by tomorrow.

I don't speak Arabic so have no idea if it is a correct take of what Al-Hassan is saying.

@HarbiehNadie
9h9 hours ago
Footage of #Syrian Tiger forces commander Suhayl Al-Hassan speaking to his soldiers with saying, “ in this last battle for #Idlib you were fighting the #Turkish special forces and American (#US) special forces, but victory will be in short time yours”https://twitter.com/HarbiehNadie/status/1131152080457093121

karlof1
After posting I ran onto another anti Russia, pro US account which also had the same version of what Al-Hassan was saying.
Looks like they will be up against US special forces so this will be interesting. There will be howls of rage when they are eliminated but they will never be mentioned by the US. There have been times in the past after Russian missile strikes when the US lost the plot for awhile.

The various drones that have attacked the Russian airbase from Idlib were American. Though the aircraft were simple they were operated by high tech US equipment. Possibly a Turk and US special forces group conducting the airbase attacks rather than jihadis with donated equipment.

Too bad the entire policy goal of Full Spectrum Dominance won't be waved away in similar fashion

ya know, karlof1, i think it's time, or past time, to shelve these memes like Full Spectrum Dominance, the yammering tomes of revered statesmen like Henry Kissinger, the astute predications of master geopolitical strategists like Zbigniew Kazimierz Brzezinski, his grand chessboard, the Yinon Plan, and all the other fucked up plans for a new american century, as so much deluded horseshit.

I don't mind ejecting them. Unfortunately, policy planners in the US Congress and within the Executive still abide by the FSD & Yinon policy goals. The governmental bodies trying to implement said policies must do the renouncing along with leadership. The very vocal yet small minority within Congress must continue their anti-Imperial venting as some of it's actually getting through and being aired by BigLie Media, while also being disseminated via Social Media. Furthermore, many were schooled by DNC's illegalities during 2016 and are already fighting against it which is linked to the Congressional dissenters.

Peter AU 1 @239--

Yes, I recall that was the determination. Does Erdogan truly control his entire military and special forces apparatus or do rogue elements exist that continue support for HTS, as something Turkish certainly does. Was Russia/Putin looking beyond Erdogan with S-400 and Turkstream. IMO, once Syria and the Kurdish issues are solved, Erdogan will no longer be viable as a proper Turkish leader and someone providing greater attention to Turkish development issues will rise as BRI/EAEU inexorably grind forward. IMO, Putin's been as patient as possible with Erdogan, but his stalling had to end sometime.

You're welcome for those updates, but they've spawned a rather different germ. After reading and writing about this and that, I began to wonder about one potential outcome for our current set of dilemmas. I settled on a description of Earth and its inhabitants painted by Asimov in his 1950 Pebble in the Sky--the planet's deeply polluted by radiation and few regions are habitable, people unable/unwilling to work are executed and very few are allowed to live beyond 60 years of age; yet, the planet's people remain rebellious within the larger galactic structure they're subsumed within, demanding the terraforming of Earth to restore its irradiated areas. IMO, such an outcome is more plausible today than in 1950, although we're not told how Earth suffered its injuries. The dotards within TrumpCo seem to want to create that injury so they can bring on their mythical Rapture. What will they do when it becomes clear they'll be displaced from their positions of power when TrumpCo loses in 2020? Unfortunately, I must contemplate the above potential along with sunnier outcomes.

Yeah, 'they' were worried Kelly would spill the beans. i.e. the wishful thinking that infectious dis-eases can be programmed to target a racial profile with specific genetic markers is bullshit. The reason it's bullshit is that racial markers are all superficial/ cosmetic traits, not biological function traits.
It'll never happen.

FrUKUS disregard for Human Life is so comprehensive that if they ever decided to expunge a specific race from a geographical region they'd apply the old Kill 'em All doctrine and squeeze out a few crocodile tears for the collateral damage.

AOC & Warren are going after Mnuchin and I hope they nail his ass, and then go after the next shark and so on and so forth. There're far too many like Trump, Obama and the Clintons that ought to have nothing but the items provided by the prison they're sent to. And while I agree that the cash/bail system needs to change, there are some that ought to be required to post billions to stay out of jail before their trial.

"Check the comments on this one, too. Now as mainstream reporters finally, far too late, begin speaking up in defense of Assange, they meet with the brick wall of propaganda that they themselves built."

I'm consumed by anger, sorrow and contempt. Gotta agree with Global Times chief editor's words I posted in vid on the Huawei thread earlier--the Deep State is Fascist.

This is more democracy works nonsense. "The problem" is boiled down to a single guy for the dumbed-down, brainwashed masses: Trump.

<> <> <> <> <> <> <> <>

The Imperial Presidency wields power that is far too great to allow for a democratic choice. The best explanation for what we've seen from recent US Presidents is that President's are well-vetted members of the 'Deep State'. President's get all the blame and all the credit then the Deep State replaces them with a new team member and starts fresh. This is supported by evidence that many of our last 6 Presidents had/have longstanding ties to the CIA:

Bush Sr: former CIA Director

Clinton: rumors of his allow CIA flights to/from an Arkansas airport

GW Bush: son of a former CIA Director

Obama: rumored grandson of OSS (the organization which became CIA), and son of women that may have been a CIA operative

Trump: FBI/CIA may have been running a counter-intelligence operation from Trump Organization (Felix Sater), and some believe that the first casino that Trump purchased was used to launder CIA drug money. In any case, Trump was close to the Clinton's for many years and his position as a internationally know executive/entertainer would make him an attractive candidate for CIA.

Each President brings friends and associates of the Deep State into his Administration. Trump is no different, except that these are people that are close to individuals and/or groups that are supposedly anti-Trump:

if we lived in a sane world, assange and manning would be held up as examples of people exposing the imperialistic empire of the crimes they commit regularly, thinking it is acceptable murdering, maiming or imprisoning innocent people... instead many, especially in the usa - are standing alongside the war crimes cheering the empire on against assange and manning.. reading the letters to the editor of the new york times article that had been linked in karlof1's tweeter link on the other thread was really disturbing for what it says about people who read the nyt... i suspect this is a commonly held belief that they have been cultivated to hold... sick, no matter how one slices it... trump is so full of shite, it is beyond embarrassing... the west need to hang their head in shame over what they have become here, with the usa leading the world into the gutter..

Elijah J. Magnier
‏ @ejmalrai
21m21 minutes ago
More
A suicide attacker hit a U.S. military unit operating in eastern Syria, near the Iraqi border. Two American Special Operations troops were killed, and two more were taken hostage by a Syrian militia widely believed to be backed by Iran.

Elijah J. Magnier
‏@ejmalrai
26m26 minutes ago
More
One week after Soleimani’s calls to #Hezbollah leader S. H. Nasrallah, a #US diplomatic convoy travelling to #Baghdad Airport was hit by several powerful roadside bombs. A high-level State Department political officer, 3 diplomats and a U.S. Army colonel were instantly killed.

I recall when Imperial personnel were ferried by helo from Green Zone to airport because highway was too dangerous; it seems those days have returned. However, such attacks don't require any link to Iran as there're plenty of Iraqi groups willing and able to launch such operations. They could easily be tied to the political effort being waged in Iraqi Parliament to pass legislation ousting US occupation forces--again. I would expect such incidents to escalate.

Since there's no Assange charges related thread yet, this will have to do for now. The following statements are from here.

Senator Warren did herself no favors:

"'Assange is a bad actor who has harmed U.S. national security — and he should be held accountable,' said Warren. 'But Trump should not be using this case as a pretext to wage war on the First Amendment and go after the free press who hold the powerful accountable everyday.'"

Sanders omitted mention of Assange:

"'Let me be clear: it is a disturbing attack on the First Amendment for the Trump administration to decide who is or is not a reporter for the purposes of a criminal prosecution,' Sanders said in a tweet Friday. 'Donald Trump must obey the Constitution, which protects the publication of news about our government.'"

As I wrote on another thread, numerous presstitutes have flipped their positions, most notably Madddow. The linked article cites numerous powerful media members and provides additional info.

"Charging Assange under the Espionage Act will have a srs chilling effect on our most fundamental rights of freedom of speech & freedom of the press. Every American—certainly every journalist—must strongly condemn this anti-democratic act by the Trump Admin."

@264 Even the BBC managed to come up with a lukewarm criticism of the new charges against Assange...but will it get any traction?

"The Republicans have their own narrative of journalists as deep-state co-conspirators. Even mainstream reporters have long kept Assange at arm's length. For them, he is the symbol of reckless figures emerging in the "new media" of the internet.

Assange is not the rallying figure advocates for press freedom would choose, but he is the one they have been given. Assange may be the first modern journalist to be prosecuted under this law. However, if successful, he will certainly not be the last."

Somewhat related is Aaron Mate thread since much anti-Assange bias is related to the Russiagate hoax narrative:

"Those demanding the release of Mueller’s underlying material in a probe that found no Trump-Russia conspiracy are now livid over an order to declassify the underlying material that launched the probe. The hypocrisy is staggering, & the reason is obvious: the probe was baseless.

"The hypocrisy doesn’t end there. The entire collusion narrative subsisted on selective leaks from the start. These leaks weren’t denounced; they were celebtrated & used to spin a collusion fantasy. Mueller’s report put an end to that. The spin is over; hopefully now we get facts.

"For progressives, there’s an obvious reason for this info’s release & for accountability. It’s not just been that Russiagate has been a disaster for the left & propped up the failed neoliberals who lost to Trump. It’s also that intel agencies have a history of targeting leftists, & holding them to account here could prevent or mitigate that in the future. FBI opened a counterintel probe of Trump because they didn’t like what he said about Russia; what’s to stop them from doing so on a future candidate critical of US foreign policy from the actual left?"

The thread's educational as it reveals the degree to which some were duped and continue to dupe themselves.

As for some unexpected people siding with Assange, one is editor for Wall Street Journal who has published the sorts of docs Assange is indicted for.

Using the very longstanding racial inequities present within the USA as a way to show the USA wasn't at all what it proclaimed itself to be was a ploy used by USSR during Cold War as it showed very well that the word of the USA wasn't to be trusted whatsoever. When it comes to sowing racial discord within the USA, no foreign entity need do anything as such discord's been ongoing since the Puritans landed at Plymouth. Without even clicking on your link, it's clear that the item's just another in a long line of BigLie Media crap unworthy of anything other than deleting.